Many consumers buy computers from well known manufacturers like Dell, Gateway, HP or Apple but building your own computer can offer the most bang for your buck. Building a computer from scratch requires purchasing and assembling a variety of parts, but it can allow you to tailor the computer to fit your needs. Building a computer can also help avoid all the unnecessary software or "Bloatware" that often comes installed on manufactured computers.
CPU
The central processing unit (CPU) is perhaps the most important part of a computer. The processor governs how many calculations a computer can perform and thus how many applications and processes it will be able to run concurrently. Since motherboards are designed to work with certain CPUs it may be best to pick the CPU you want to use and then choose a motherboard that is compatible with that CPU.
Motherboard
The motherboard is the main circuit board that the CPU, hard drives and expansion cards plug into. You should choose a motherboard that is compatible with your CPU and that has the appropriate ports, such as SATA ports and PCI Express ports, for the devices you plan to use.
Case
The case is the exterior shell that contains the motherboard and other internal hardware devices. Cases can come in different shapes and sizes but many computers and motherboards use the "ATX form factor" which is a common set of design standards. If you get an ATX case, motherboard, power supply and all the devices should fit in the case.
Power Supply
A power supply is a device that plugs into an outlet and provides power to the computer's motherboard and peripheral devices. It is important to get a power supply that can provide enough wattage to power all the devices in your system.
RAM
Random Access Memory or RAM is memory that plugs directly into the motherboard and sends data to the processor. Installing more RAM will tend to allow for greater multitasking capability without experiencing lag.
Hard Drives and Optical Drives
A computer hard drive stores the operating system, program files and other personal data. At minimum, a computer needs one hard drive with an operating system installed to function. Optical drives are devices such as DVD and CD ROM drives. A computer should have at least one optical drive capable of reading DVDs and CDs.
Video Card
A video card or graphics card is a device that assists the CPU with rendering graphics and contains video output and input ports. Some motherboards have built in video cards while other systems will require a dedicated or stand along video card. Dedicated cards are typically more powerful than built in cards and may be required for certain computer games.
Sound Card
A sound card is a device that allows a computer to output sound to speakers and record sound. Many motherboards have built in sound cards although a dedicated sound card may provide better quality and more input and output options.
Network Cards
Network cards allow a computer to connect to other computers to share data and access the internet. An Ethernet controller or LAN card is required to network a computer using cables and a wireless adapter is required to let a computer access wireless internet signals.
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